Title: Clueless 13/20
Authors: Kim & Jen
Feedback: Oh yes, please! It's our drug of choice.
Disclaimer: We don't, never have, never will. We own our obsession with the G-man. We let them have fun and return them relatively unscathed to the Jossverse. Although, they probably have more fun with us.

"Wait," Willow said. "At the risk of being chastised again, we should think about the fact that Ethan can monitor our movements magically. It's not going to do a lot of good if he knows where we're going."

"He probably already knows if he's watching us," Xander disagreed.

"But if he doesn't, then we should try to hide our movements. Even if he is watching, we should protect ourselves., keep him from performing more magic on us."

"How?" Buffy asked.

"A cloaking spell," Willow answered while meeting Giles' eyes.

"You can do a cloaking spell?" Xander asked. "Cloaking as in Romulan ship cloaking? Cool. I can't believe you've never shared that you can do that."

"I can't do it by myself. But maybe Giles and I can."

"I thought we had the magic discussion earlier," Buffy objected. "No wily-nily magic use. Right, Giles?"

Giles looked thoughtful for a moment. "I might actually agree with Willow this time, Buffy. As I explained, there is a time for magic use, and this might be one of those times. Ethan won't hesitate to use magic, and we shouldn't bind our hands unnecessarily. We need to be able to move freely and search for the others without interference from him." He glanced toward Willow. "I assume you are thinking of the Dagashi cloaking spell."

In response to her nod, he caught her gaze firmly, his green eyes piercing into hers. "You realize what will happen?"

"I'm okay with it, are you?" she challenged.

"What's going to happen?" Xander asked, looking from one to the other.

"When two people work magic together, it opens up their minds to one another. It allows the casters to see the thoughts and feelings of the other, if they choose to look."

"Romulan cloaking and a Vulcan mind meld? Who knew magic was so much like Star Trek?"

Willow rolled her eyes. "Nice, Xander. Keep making cracks, and you'll be the next guy in a red shirt beaming down."

"It's not like we have a ton of time for mutual soul searching here, so let's get going," Buffy said impatiently. "Ethan has a date with my fist that he's late for."

Giles walked to the middle of the room and moved the coffee table. He sank gracefully to the floor, crossing his legs as he sat. Willow moved to sit opposite him. Suddenly shy, she held her hands out to him. "Ready when you are."

"I'll let you cast," he said as he took her hands. "You'll have to make it quick because Ethan will sense the magic."

They both closed their eyes and started to focus on breathing in time with each other. After several minutes of silent breathing, Willow began to speak in a low-pitched voice, syllables rolling off her tongue. The tone of her voice grew in intensity and sweat stood out on Giles' forehead. With a final `et lux fiat,' Willow finished. She slowly blew out her breath and tried to draw her hands from Giles'.

Giles, however, had not opened his eyes, and he tightened his grip on Willow, preventing her from letting go. Willow struggled briefly as Giles' forehead crinkled in concentration.

"No," she cried. "Let me go, I don't want to see."

Giles didn't respond, and after a few moments more struggling, Willow finally tore her hands away, breathing heavily. Her eyes opened wide, reflecting horror at whatever she had seen.

Giles' head dropped for a moment, as he centered himself. Finally lifting his head, he looked at Willow with regretful eyes. "I'm sorry, perhaps this wasn't the best time or place, but it was an opportunity I couldn't let escape."

Panting, Willow pressed her hands to her temples as tears filled her eyes. "How could you?" she choked out.

Giles' voice was laced with regret and sadness when he answered, "To you? Or to him?"

Buffy and Xander, who had watched the events unsure whether to interfere or not, approached the pair hesitantly.

"What did you do, Giles?" Buffy asked.

Giles looked off into the distance, his eyes seeing events from a different time. "I showed her some memories of my youth, of the magic I worked, memories of Philip, and Ethan, and," he hesitated for a moment, "of Randall." Turning to Willow, he reached out a hand only to pull it back as she flinched away. "I'm sorry you had to witness that, Willow. However, I believe you have set yourself on a dangerous path. A path I trod and from which I almost didn't return. I would sacrifice almost anything to spare you the pain of knowing everyday that your actions caused the death of another human being, of someone for whom you care. I care about you too much for that."

With a little cry, Willow launched herself at him and flung her arms about his chest. Taken aback for a moment, Giles was quick to put his arms around her and stroke her hair. "How can you bear it?" she sobbed.

"I almost didn't," he replied softly. "But it's better now. What I showed you was what I felt then. The spiraling pull of the magic, and the utter desolation and horror after Randall died. It has never gone away, but it has lessened over time. I like to think the work I have done here has somewhat atoned for it. I do not," he said fiercely, "want to have to pull you back from that brink. You are better than that, Willow."

"I'll try to keep that in mind," she sniffled, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. Looking at her hand then, she wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, maybe you and Buffy should go find this light while Xander and I stay here. I think I need to find somewhere to blow my nose."

Xander moved forward and offered Willow a hand. Pulling her up, he threw his arm around her shoulder. "It's just never a dull moment around here, is it? You guys go ahead, and Willow and I will stay here and poke around some more. I know," he said before Buffy could open her mouth, "`hold hands and stay together.' Same thing our kindergarten teacher used to tell us."

Buffy helped Giles off the floor, giving his hand a warm squeeze before regretfully letting go. "Before we go, are we sure the spell worked?"

Giles looked questioningly at Willow. "I have no cause to believe it did not. Do you?"

"Nope," she replied. "Everything seemed okay on my end."

Buffy was confused. "But we can still see each other. I thought it was a cloaking spell."

"That's the beauty of the spell," Willow explained. "It prevents people using magic on us, unless they are in the same room with us. I think that's how Spike got poofed back in to the house earlier."

Willow's voice began to pick up in excitement as she started to explain how she changed the spell. After a few eye-glazing moments, Buffy waved her to a stop.

"An explanation isn't necessary, Will. I'm more of the `if you tell me it works, I'll believe it girl' where magic is involved." She turned to Giles, "We might as well get going."

Xander and Willow followed Buffy and Giles out into the hall.

Xander still had his arm firmly around Willow's shoulders. "Have fun storming the castle, kids," he called, and then doubled over when Willow shoved her elbow in his side.

They stood in the hallway for a moment, deciding which door to use. "Well, Spike left through the front door and had problems," Buffy said. "Maybe we should try the back door."

"True," Giles agreed. "The light did seem to be coming from somewhere out back."

Once they reached the French doors leading out into the garden, Buffy pushed them open and stepped out into the night. The deluge from earlier had subsided, but periodic flashes of lightning split the sky.

"You know," Buffy remarked. "Now that Xander has pointed it out, I don't know how many more clichés I can take. Was the `it was a dark and stormy night' bit really necessary?"

"Oh, I don't know; I find this type of weather enjoyable."

Buffy could barely make out his face in the dark, but a flash of lightning let her see the grin. "Liar." A light in the distance caught her eye. "I think we want to head that direction."

They started out toward the light, keeping their senses alert for any lurking dangers.

"So," Buffy said after a moment, "you care about Willow."

"What?" Giles almost stumbled in surprise.

Buffy grabbed his arm to steady him. "You told Willow you cared about her. I'm just throwing that out there on the table as something you've never said before."

Giles kept walking. "Er, of course I care about her. I see a lot of myself in her. Willow has a tremendous amount of potential that could be easily diverted down the wrong path. I do not want to see her make the same mistakes I did."

"And Xander?"

"I'm afraid I'm not following you, Buffy. What about Xander?"

"Do you care about him too?"

Giles thought for a moment. "Yes, to some degree. Lord help me, but sometimes I think Xander is like the son I never had. At a bare minimum, he's the nephew that lives to torment me. I care about all of you a great deal, Buffy."

Buffy's heart sank to her knees. He thought of Xander like a relative. Maybe he felt the same about her. Had she been wrong earlier in the study? "So Travers was right," she mumbled.

"Travers?" Giles snorted. "What could he possibly have been right about?"

"You love me like a daughter."

"Why would you think that?"

Dejected, Buffy explained, "He said that on my eighteenth birthday. You didn't disagree with it." Suddenly the fact that Giles hadn't confirmed it right then pierced the fog in her head.

"Wait, you don't love me like a daughter?"

"No, Buffy, I don't."

"But you love Willow and Xander?"

"Yes, I thought we just covered that."

"And you care for all of us?"

"Buffy, do we have to do this right now?"

"I think we do. If you think of Willow as some younger, much more feminine, version of yourself, and Xander is a long lost relative, what does that make me?"

"Buffy, I really think this discussion can wait for another time and place." Giles did not want to answer Buffy's questioning right now. He had no idea how she would react, and the middle of a murder mystery was hardly the place for confessions of long-kept hidden love.

"Giles," Buffy stomped her foot and threw a pout his way. "This is important."

"Why?" Giles decided to turn the tables a little. "Why is this so important to you to pin down how I feel about you?" he asked, moving closer to her.

Thrown on the defensive, Buffy could only sputter nervously. "It just is."

"Why?" Giles voice deepened a notch as he took yet another step closer. "It's never been important for you to define my feelings for you before."

"It seems important now. If you care for me, but not like a daughter, than what do you feel?"

"You're very important to me, Buffy. Not only because of our callings, but as a person as well."

"Oh," Buffy said quietly. "How important?"

Wondering how he got himself into these messes, Giles mentally shrugged; in for a penny, in for a pound, he supposed. He reached out and cupped the side of Buffy's face with his hand. Lifting her chin so their eyes met, his thumb caressed her cheek. "This important," he said before he bent his head and brushed his lips across hers.

Buffy stood still in shock. Giles was kissing her. Giles didn't love her like a daughter. His kiss led her to believe that he might love her in a much more pleasant fashion. Finally, she realized that she was still just standing there when he drew back, a look of disappointment on his face at her lack of response.

"I am very sorry…," was all he had time to get out before her hands shot to the back of his head and pulled his face down for another kiss. This time, she was no passive participant. Buffy threw her soul behind the kiss, trying to convince Giles that she delighted in and returned the feelings he had for her.

Stunned for only a moment, Giles quickly deepened the kiss, sinking his other hand into Buffy's thick tresses. They stood that way for a few glorious minutes, saying everything that needed to be said without words.

Finally, they broke apart. Buffy's hand went to her lips. "Oh," was all she could say for a moment. "That was… that was amazing."

"Indeed."

"Definitely not a daughter, huh?"

"I should think not."

"Good."

"Really?"

"Well," she teased. "You'd better kiss me again so I can make sure."

"Incorrigible wench," he giggled, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her soundly and thoroughly, reluctantly ending it after a few short moments.

"We really do need to find that light," he said.

"Light? What light? "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto?"

Failing to keep the smug tone out of his voice, he chided, "Buffy, be serious, as much as I would love to stand here and kiss you all night, there are people depending on us."

Buffy shook her head as if clearing cobwebs. "People depending on us. Right. We should get moving. And we will, after you do that one more time."

"We are never going to get out of here."

Suddenly Buffy was serious. "No, Giles. We will. But this is important too. What we are to each other, how you feel, how you make me feel, that's crucial. I've told you before, and I don't know how many different ways to say it, but I need you, and I can't do this without you."

Giles said nothing as he claimed her lips again. Buffy thought her knees would give way at the passion in his kiss. He didn't just kiss her; he invaded her mouth and staked a claim of ownership.

Eons ticked by until Buffy pulled back slowly. "Okay," she said in a shaky voice, "You are entirely too good at that. Let's hurry up and get out of here so we can devote some quality time to discovering whatever else you're good at."

Giles grinned mischievously. "I have many hidden assets or should we say talents, Miss Summers. I would be delighted to assist you in discovering them."

Buffy laughed delightedly and took Giles hand. "Oh Giles," she said as they continued on, "I love you." Then she stopped, amazed at how easily the words had slipped out.

Giddy at her declaration, Giles pulled her in once again, swinging her off her feet and spinning her in a circle. "I love you too, Buffy. I never thought I would get to tell you, but I do."

After another short but serious kiss, Buffy slid down until her feet touched the ground. "This evening just got a whole lot better."

"Quite. Let's find that light, shall we?"

"Let's shall, Watcher-mine."

With that the two strode off, hand-in-hand, toward the light in the distance. As they got closer, they dropped into hunting mode again. Finally, the light resolved into the glow from a window in a small cabin. Buffy stopped about twenty yards from the cabin, trying to determine the best way to approach.

"I don't see any guards. Do you?" she whispered.

"No, but that doesn't mean there aren't people on watch in the cabin."

"I'd really like to get a look in that window." The window in question was about eight feet off the ground, too high for either to see what was inside.

"I could give you a boost up," Giles offered.

"Okay."

After they approached the side of the cabin, Giles tried to determine the best way to lift Buffy up. The ground was muddy, and he stared distastefully at the idea of getting mud all over his hands.

"Bend over," Buffy suggested.

"What?"

"If you bend over, I can get on your shoulders and see in. Just hold my hands in case I need to flip down quickly."

"I think you're just trying to get me into a compromising position as quickly as possible."

"That too," she smiled. "Do you have any other suggestions?"

"No." He leaned over, and Buffy spread her legs slightly. Giles started conjugating Greek verbs in his head, reminding himself that this was merely part of the job. Ducking between Buffy's legs, he got a hold of her hands, and slowly stood up. When Buffy tensed her thighs around his neck, other parts of his anatomy immediately sat up and took notice. He swore slightly under his breath.

"Problem?" Buffy asked.

"No, just getting situated."

"Oh," Buffy sounded disappointed. "I thought maybe you were finding this a little fun." She emphasized the word fun with a little wiggle. "I know I am."

"Please, Buffy, concentrate. As much as I am enjoying this, I don't want to be caught like this if we can avoid it."

"Fine, move me over to the window."

Giles did as she instructed. He waited a few moments while she looked in. "Do you see anyone?"

"No, it appears to be empty right now. It's just one big room, so I don't think there's anywhere else someone could be."

"What is in the room?"

"Lots of computer equipment and televisions, it looks like."

"Do you want down now?"

"Yeah, just move away from the window, and I can get down so you don't have to bend over."

Once Giles moved from the building, Buffy tightened her grip with her thighs again, and leaned backward until she was flush against Giles' back. Balancing her hands on his waist, she kicked off and flipped over him. "Ta da."

"Show off."

"Admit it. You're impressed. Guys like flexible girls, and trust me, they don't come any more bendy than the Slayer."

Greek verbs had ceased to be effective, so Giles started on Fyarl, a language he still remembered. "You are going to be the death of me."

Buffy giggled. "I'm just teasing. Well, sort of. Let's see if we can get into this cabin."

They moved around to the front door. Buffy tried the handle. "Locked." She took a step back and prepared to kick it in. Giles' hand on her arm stopped her.

"Why is your first instinct always to break the door down? Why don't you let me?" He took his wallet out of his pocket and withdrew a small metal pick.

"You're going to pick the lock? And you have a lock pick with you? Wow, Giles, delinquent much?"

Giles flashed her a quick grin. "I don't regret everything from my youth. Some skills still come in handy."

After a few seconds, Giles had the door open. They cautiously entered the room. Buffy went over to the row of video monitors. "Hey, these show almost every room in the mansion."

Giles looked at the computer equipment. "We should have brought Willow with us. She could get some information out of these. Although I am puzzled. This seems quite elaborate for Ethan, and a little beyond his technology level."

"Who knows what Ethan picked up in his stint with the Initiative?" Buffy said as she moved down the row of monitors. Her sudden cry sent Giles running to her side.

"What is it?"

Buffy could only point at one of the monitors in return. Giles looked at the screen; there, in a non-descript room, were the missing members of their party.

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